by C. J. Pinard
A soft touch ran up and down my arm. “What’s wrong, babe?”
I looked down into MyAnna’s face and lay back down. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Everything is perfect.” I gently rubbed my fingers across her jawline. “Fucking perfect,” I whispered again.
“You don’t have nightmares very often,” she said softly, snuggling into my bare chest.
I could feel the damp heat from the apex of her legs grinding against my thigh. Her featherlight touches up and down my stomach had me gasping in a breath. When her soft hand wrapped around my already hardening cock, I gripped her by the back of her hair and pulled her mouth to mine.
“God, I love you,” I whispered against her lips before claiming them.
She arched her body into mine and I pulled her on top of me. Without breaking the kiss, I impaled her wet heat onto my now-raging hard dick, and I thrusted up inside her. She whimpered into my mouth as I gripped one hip with my fingers and used my other hand to control her head as she kissed me crazy.
Her movements were perfectly in sync with mine, and as we made love for what seemed like hours, I knew I would never have enough room in my heart and soul for another woman. MyAnna was it. She was the one for me. As she spasmed around my cock and I grunted my release, shooting my load inside her, I wondered what the future held for us.
Not once had I ever wondered about a future with a woman. Ever.
This time, I couldn’t picture mine without her in it. Being that she was human and still so fucking fragile, that bothered me. The fact nagged at me more than it should, but I told myself that was a good thing. It meant that I cared for this beautiful human girl, and that I would go to the ends of the Earth to make sure she was safe and cared for. I cared for her more than I cared about myself, and when that realization dawned on me, I knew I was good and well done for. That was the pure, sweet definition of love.
“I love you, too,” she said, staring at me with those soulful brown eyes full of innocence and mischief.
I pulled her closer to me, if that was possible. We fell asleep intertwined around each other like a human-vampire pretzel, and never in my life had I slept so well.
I had no idea what my future with MyAnna would be like, but I would cross any problematic bridges when I came to them. I knew I was going to live a long life, and that she was human and would not, but I didn’t care about that right now. No way would I turn her into the monster I’d become. I would love her until her last dying breath and we would both have to be okay with that.
I hadn’t chosen to fall in love, it had chosen me, in the form of a tiny pale girl with huge, scared eyes and a heart and soul full of devotion and love, and there was no way I was going to let her go. Ever.
I walked into the offices area and saw Face sitting at the computer, his brow furrowed.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. I knew that look. Stress city on that boy’s pretty face.
He glanced up at me. “BSI stopped by an hour ago.”
“What!” I roared. “Why didn’t anyone fucking call me?”
He looked back to the computer screen. “Uh, we did try calling you, got no answer. And none of us are brave enough to go to your apartment and go knockin’ when the apartment’s rockin’.”
This dick.
I pulled out my phone to see that it was on silent mode. I swore and read the messages and missed calls. “Fuck. I’m sorry. Tell me what happened.”
He handed me Special Agent Nolan Bishop’s business card. “He came asking about MyAnna again, boss.”
This was ending now. I dialed the agent’s number right then and there, and he answered on the third ring. He sounded tired. I glanced at the clock on my phone to see it was 1:57 a.m.
Damn humans and their sleep schedule.
“Agent Bishop, this is Viper. Did you stop by my clubhouse earlier?”
I could have sworn I heard him yawn. “Viper?”
“Yes. Vane Matson, Nighthawks.” I scrubbed a hand down my face. “For fuck’s sake,” I murmured.
“Yes, Mr. Matson, we were following up on MyAnna Lawson’s disappearance.”
“Get your ass to my clubhouse ASAP. She’s here.”
I heard him gasp. “I’ll be there in ten.”
I ended the call and stormed back into the clubhouse and up the stairs. MyAnna was in the shower and I had to resist the urge to strip down and get in there with her.
“Honey, I need you to dry off and get dressed. The BSI will be here in ten,” I said, leering at her though the beveled glass of the shower.
She turned off the water and opened the door, water dripping down her face and body as she blinked at me. “BSI what?”
I grabbed a towel and slowly dried off her entire body, my dick not getting the memo that this wasn’t playtime.
“The supernatural cops have been looking for you since those asshole wolves took you. I’m tired of them bugging us, so you’re going to tell them that you’re happy here and that you’re not here under duress. Which is the truth.”
She stared up at me while ringing out her long, dark hair in the shower stall. “Yes, it is the truth. I was wondering if anyone reported me missing to the NOPD after I got kidnapped by those sick monsters.”
“We can handle the human cops. The BSI is another story.” I grabbed her hand and led her to the bedroom, where I watched with much interest as she put on her bra, some short-shorts, and a tank top with no underwear before twisting up her hair into some weird bun thing on the top of her head.
“Where’s your wallet and ID?” I asked.
She pointed to a pink purse thing on the nightstand.
“Grab it.”
I led her downstairs to find Agent Nolan, dressed in jeans and a purple LSU T-shirt and sneakers standing in the middle of the warehouse. I led him to the kitchen and instructed him to sit.
“This is MyAnna Jones,” I said, introducing him to her.
He stared at her for a few hard seconds before pulling out his phone. I presumed he compared a photo from his device to my woman before he was satisfied with the connection. Then, he set some recording app on the phone and laid it on the table.
Ignoring me, he said to her, “You’ve been missing for four months, Miss Jones. Care to explain?”
She chewed her bottom lip and looked at me.
“Don’t look at him. Look at me,” Bishop said seriously.
I nodded to her. “Tell him the truth. All of it.”
“All of it?” she whispered, eyes wide.
“Yes,” I replied. “He knows about the monsters.”
She nodded and faced the agent, “I got kidnapped by wolves. I mean, werewolves, in the alley behind my job at Antonio’s in the Quarter.”
“Go on,” he urged.
“They kept me captive for over three months. Made me marry James Lawson. Then, he died. They still wouldn’t let me go. Then…” She looked up at me with love in her eyes, then back to the agent. “An angel rescued me.”
Nolan Bishop’s lime-green eyes narrowed in mistrust at me, then he put his gaze back on hers. “Angel?”
I chuckled. I was more like a demon, but whatever.
“Yes. He and his vampire friends rescued me. Vane and I are in love. I’m here on my own.”
Bishop again looked at me with suspicion.
I put my hands up in surrender. “She’s free to leave whenever she wants. We got her an apartment, bank account… even got her driver’s license renewed back to her maiden name. She’s here because she fucking wants to be. You can question her separately if it’ll make you happy. I would never force a woman to be with me, or kidnap one. Ever. You dig?” I set my jaw and folded my arms across my black tee.
Agent Bishop stared hard at us both, then stopped recording on his phone before re-pocketing it. Then, he stood. “That’s all. I’ll be in touch.”
I noticed Shadow stood at the doorway observing, and I nodded at him. “See the agent out, please.”
Shadow did as I asked and then I looked
at the love of my life. “Are you all right?”
She nodded and smiled, placing a hand on my cold cheek. “Of course.”
“I love you,” I said.
“Same,” she replied, kissing me.
Epilogue
Dick
It was becoming impossible for me to tell my girl no. Not that I ever had a reason to want to. So when she asked me to take her to a popular upscale New Orleans restaurant to celebrate our one year anniversary, I, of course, obliged. I was also planning to propose, and hoped she was clueless about it.
“You take my breath away, shortstop,” I said, staring at her in the black dress that hugged all her luscious curves and the way her dark hair spilled down her shoulders and framed her face. I wanted to kiss all that red lipstick off her pouty mouth.
Her cheeks turned pink and she spun around. “Thank you, baby.” She leaned up and kissed me softly. “I’m so excited. I’ve always wanted to go here but could never afford it before.”
“I haven’t been either, obviously, but I’m very much looking forward to watching you eat.”
I hated watching humans eat, but if I concentrated on her mouth and the things it would be doing to me later, I could get through it.
We used the valet to park, and I took a quick look around the shadowy streets before ushering her inside. The restaurant was mostly dark, with candles and small glass jar lights burning around the place. The wait staff wore black clothing and white aprons. Lit votive candles and a single rose sat on each table.
As we were seated, I ordered us wine as MyAnna looked over the menu. I couldn’t stop staring at her and marveled, as I did every day, what I did to deserve such a gem. She was perfect and pure, and I was surely going to pollute her. She was an angel of light and love and I was a tainted and stained demon from hell. Why she was with me I still didn’t know but I was going to keep loving her as long as she’d let me.
“What?” she asked when she caught me staring.
My lips twitched. “Nothing. Just wondering what you’re doing with me, is all.”
She looked confused and replied, “Because you love me. You take care of me and are always there for me when I need you. You spoil me, Vane.”
I reached over and grabbed her hand, running my cold thumb along her warm flesh. “And I always will be. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She stood and leaned across the table to kiss me. I enjoyed the view of her tits almost spilling out of her dress as she did so.
She sat down and I grinned at her. “Thank you.”
She shook her head. “You’re so silly. I kiss you every day.”
I took a look around. “Yeah, just not in public. I’m sorry I don’t take you out very often.” I hated all the evil creatures that lurked the streets of this famous city and wanted to keep her locked inside the clubhouse forever. I had only reluctantly let her get a part-time job at a beauty supply store to appease her—and she could only work a few hours in the afternoon when it was still daytime. She didn’t need the money but wanted to be “around other humans” as she’d put it. And she’d made some nice human girlfriends working there. She also came home often with more shit than we could fit in our bathroom. I was currently working on building her a house I planned to surprise her with in the fall. The bathroom would be enormous.
As she looked over the menu, I glanced around the restaurant and my already frozen blood stopped completely when I saw a familiar face walk through the door. I gritted my teeth and tried to even out my breathing and facial expressions. I’d recognize that mug anywhere. I just couldn’t believe he was still wearing that fucking cape.
As his gaze scanned the room, I turned around quickly. No way he’d recognize me now, as I’d obviously lost the beach-bum-surfer look, and my hair was different, but I clearly hadn’t aged. I grabbed the wine list menu and pretended to read it as I contemplated what I was going to do. Because… the fuck if this guy was walking out of here—or at least New Orleans—alive. I didn’t even care if he was just “visiting.” He was a menace, and I had no time for creatures like him.
“Your wine,” the server said, setting down our glasses. “Have you decided on a meal?” she asked, looking at my love.
“Yes, I’ll have the red snapper and oysters,” MyAnna replied, handing the server the menu.
“And you, sir?” she asked with a practiced smile.
“I’ll have the same,” I replied, also handing her the menu but keeping the wine list.
“Excellent choice,” she replied and walked away.
MyAnna looked at me, candlelight bouncing off her beautiful face.
“What?” I asked.
“I know we don’t go out to eat for a reason, but you didn’t have to order anything.”
I’d learned from years of experience that yes, I did. “It’s okay, we’ll take it home and you can eat it tomorrow.”
She frowned and nodded.
“What?” I asked. “What’s it called? A doggy bag. We’ll ask for one of those.”
She giggled.
“What is so funny?” I asked.
“Just ask for a to-go box. Don’t call it a doggy bag. Nobody uses that term anymore.”
I chuckled. “Of course not.”
She started jabbering away about the latest makeup product they got in at the store and I half listened as I chanced a glance around the restaurant and spotted the asshole. He was seated in a back corner and seemed to be getting waited on, hand and foot. His two goons in black suits stood a couple feet away as he put all his attention on another vampire seated across from him.
This guy was so ridiculous.
I took a sip of my wine to blend in with the humans but kept watch over Dick Sheridan as we waited for the food to arrive.
I concentrated hard to hear what they were talking about and my blood began to boil as I listened to the conversation.
“Tampa was a good run, but I’m aiming for this great city now, my friend. Bigger and better things. I deserve it, don’t you think?”
The man nodded. “Absolutely, sir.”
“Every vamp will have to report to me when they get here—including the existing ones. I’ll be ruling New Orleans since Edward so tragically and unexpectedly passed away last month.”
He clinked his glass with the other man’s and they both laughed.
This asshole. He had another thing coming if he thought he was going to pull that bullshit here. No fucking way.
They continued to talk about plans of where he’d live, how many “servants” he’d have, and all sorts of other ridiculously old-school things he thought he’d be bringing back. I had no idea who “Edward” was, but we certainly never heard a peep from him, that I knew of. So if this dick thought he was going to come to my city and try to take over, he was sadly mistaken.
Then, I had an idea.
Deciding that using my cell phone at the table was rude, I excused myself to the bathroom—which also earned me a curious look from my girlfriend—and headed toward the men’s room.
Glad I was alone in there, I quickly called Shadow.
“What’s up, boss?” he answered. I could hear music from the bar in the background.
“Grab a couple dudes and get down to Gautreau’s on Soniat Street, now.”
I heard him shift the phone and the music fade. “Sure. What’s up?”
“There’s a vampire here who needs to be turned to ash. Hurry down, lure him out back, and end him.”
Shadow was quiet. “Okay, but who is this vamp? We have a few tips from the text snitch line Face set up, but no names.”
“Don’t worry about it, I’ll explain later. I’ll text you a photo.”
“You got it,” he replied.
I ended the call and walked out of the restroom. On my way to my table, I stopped and pretended to need to tie my shoe. While bent down, I used my phone to zoom in on Dick’s table. I snapped four pictures and quickly sent them off to Shadow.
I added to the text: Don’t
disturb my dinner with MyAnna. Be stealthy. I don’t want to see you. Just let me know when the job’s done. Bonus for a video.
After I sat back at the table, he responded with: You got it.
The food arrived and I watched as MyAnna’s eyes rolled back in her head at the taste of the food. The steaming fish in front of me smelled no different than the smell of standing on the dock or beach of an ocean or lake. Fish was fish. I hardly remembered eating it as a human, even though I do recall that I’d enjoyed it.
Halfway through the meal, MyAnna excused herself to the bathroom and I did the cheesiest thing ever: I pulled the two-carat diamond engagement ring from my pocket and dropped it into her wine after the server had refilled the glass. I watched as the bubbles floated up around the platinum and stones.
She returned to the table and began eating and talking again. I glanced at Dick, who was smiling creepily at his friend, when a wait staff came over and whispered something in his ear. His expression looked confused, and then annoyed.
I grinned and watched as he politely excused himself and walked back toward the kitchen area of the restaurant.
I turned my attention back to my girl just as she picked up her wine glass and took a swig. Her eyes went large as the ring hit her lips. It didn’t occur to my dumb ass that she might swallow it, so, a little too quickly, I rushed to her side of the table plucked the ring from her fingers as she’d spat it out into her hand.
“Vane,” she breathed, staring at the ring.
I got down on one knee, nervous as hell, and smiled up at her. “MyAnna Jones. You’ve made me the happiest I’ve been my entire existence. You brought light into my dark soul and lit my cold heart to life. I cannot picture a future without you. Would you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She gasped, her hands in front of her face, her eyes wide. Without hesitation, she squealed and stood up. “Yes!”
